


Accidental Roommates

by tessathetesla



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Academy Era, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Banter, Conjoining rooms, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, First Time, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Philinda - Freeform, Pre-Canon, Roommates, SHIELD Academy (Marvel), Sharing a Room, Slow Burn, Young Philinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29894322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tessathetesla/pseuds/tessathetesla
Summary: Phillip J. Coulson is a sophomore at the SHIELD Communications Academy. When his roommate and friend Felix Blake decides to do an exchange student program at Operations, Phil is all of the sudden bunking with fierce and intense Melinda May from Operations.This follows Phil and Melinda as they become accidental roommates as she enters the exchange program at the Comm Academy. Not wanting to look like a coward Phil decides to let May bunk with him in their conjoined rooms.Lots of flirty banter, slow burn, young Philinda (set in the 1980s), Phil's first time, and more.[Multi-part fic][This is loosely inspired by the Japanese drama Good Morning Call]
Relationships: Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Comments: 19
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

It was the start of another year at SHIELD Communications Academy, and Phillip J. Coulson felt much less nervous than the last year, when he had been a very geeky and skinny freshman even to Comm standards.

Phil walked up to his bunk after picking up the keys from the office. He’d be rooming with his good friend Felix Blake, and because they were sophomores, they got to have bigger dorm room. Each would get their own bedroom, with a conjoined bathroom and living space. Come to think of it, he hadn’t heard from Blake yet. Putting it out of his mind, Phil unlocked the door and walked in to a surprise.

“Who are you?” Phil sputtered, seeing a short, dark haired Asian woman standing in his dorm room.

She turned around and gave Phil a confused look, “This is room 136, right? That’s what it says on my sheet. I’m Melinda May, exchange student from Operations.” She held out her hand, which also had the paper and room assignment on it.

“Hi, I’m Phil Coulson. But, my friend Felix Blake and I were rooming together. We signed up last spring,” Phil was quite confused, and also didn’t know what to think about bunking with a very beautiful woman.

“Blake? He accepted the exchange program at Operations. That’s why I’m here, and he’s there. I’d just thought they’d give me my own dorm room or at least bunk with another woman. Not that it matters. We have to get used to rooming with anybody on missions,” Melinda shrugged like it was no big deal, grabbing her bag and throwing it down on her bed as Phil followed her into her bedroom.

“But…but…uh…I mean. Are you sure? I haven’t…roomed with a woman before,” Phil said, turning red at thinking of sharing a bathroom and living space with Melinda.

“Are you saying that you haven’t been with a woman yet, Phil?” May chuckled, enjoying making this geeky comm student flustered.

“I…I have hung out before, you know, during missions and classes,” Phil reddened even more. Truth was, he’d never had a girlfriend, unless you counted going to a dance in high school, and even then, the girl ditched him for the star football player.

Melinda noticed his embarrassed and decided to lay off, “Hey, sorry Coulson. Look, I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot here. If you are too uncomfortable with me bunking with you, I can request a transfer.”

While Phil did feel self conscious of bunking with this fierce and attractive Operations student, he didn’t want to look like a coward, he got made fun of as it is, “No, it’s fine, Cadet May. Like you said, we have to get used to bunking with anyone who could be on mission. Why not get used to it now?”

“Sure, but call me May, not Cadet May. If we are going to be roommates, we don’t have to be so formal,” Melinda smiled at him, she had to admit, he was pretty cute. Very different than anyone she’d met at Operations. They were usually all cocky, egotistical, and way too forward. This Phil guy, he was dressed in basic jeans, a loose fitting gray Academy shirt, and a red zip-up hoodie. She could see he had some basic strength, but not muscular like the operations cadets she saw. She did wonder what he looked like underneath all the loose clothing. Well, with them rooming, together, it was bound that they would see each other with less clothing on. Melinda actually blushed at the thought.

Phil noticed her sizing him up, and didn’t know if she was checking him out or seeing how quickly she could take him down in combat training, “Okay, May. You can call me Phil or Coulson, whichever is fine.”

“Let’s start with Coulson for now. We don’t usually use first names at Operations,” May replied, as she got out the rest of her clothes from her bag. Phil noticed a set of red underwear and bra and unconsciously licked his lips.

“Uh, okay. So, I’m gonna go unpack. Let me know, if you need anything. I can give you a tour, or whatever,” Phil stumbled over his words. This was going to be harder than he thought.

Phil made it back to his room and began to take out his things. He had to admit, rooming with this Melinda May would be more exciting than rooming with Blake. While him and Blake were pretty good friends, he did tend to be messy and a bit of a punk sometimes.

He’d finished putting his things away, hung up an old photo of him and his dad with Lola, then went out to the living room to set his blanket out on the couch. May was doing some Tai Chi, and he couldn’t help but stare at her gracefulness.

She noticed his gaze but chose to ignore him, giving herself the slightest of smiles. She didn’t know why, but she was enjoying the attention. Typically, she hated it when guys stared. But for Phil, she could tell it wasn’t just because he thought she was attractive, but he was also very interested in studying her moves. _He’s an analyst. No wonder he’s in Comms._

“Did you learn to do Tai Chi in Ops?” Phil said as she finished her routine.

“No, my mom taught me. We did it every morning before school. So it’s part of my routine now,” May replied grabbing a bottle of water from her pack.

“No wonder you looked so good. I mean proficient. Maybe you can teach me the routine sometime,” Phil tried sound as casual as possible. He didn’t want to be hitting on his roommate within minutes of them meeting.

Melinda just grinned and pointed to Phil’s blanket, “Captain America?”

Phil blushed, looking down at his Captain America quilt he’s had since he was a kid, “Uh, my mom made it for me. I’ve always been a big fan. It’s part of the reason I joined SHIELD. All those comics inspired me to work with something more.”

“That’s pretty geeky Coulson,” May said, but grabbed the blanket to look at it. It had wear and tear, but it was clear it held up well over time. “Your mom did a good job on this. It looks comfy and well loved.”

“Yeah, I guess it’s pretty silly to my childhood blanket at a super spy academy,” Coulson held out his hand to take it back from May, “I’ll put it back in my room.”

“Naw, keep it out. I just have my comforter, so we’ll need an extra one for the couch. Just in case we want to watch movies or something,” Melinda said casually.

Phil thought about being on the couch with May under his blanket and tried to get the image out of his mind. “Yeah, I mean, totally. If one of us gets cold. Uh…what movies do you like May?”

“Comedy, Adventure, Sci-Fi” May said, going back to her bunk to pull out VHS tapes, including Princess Bride, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Star Wars.

“Whoa! Nice choices! I had a super crush on Ferris’ sister when I watched that movie in theaters,” Phil said, then feeling a little embarrassed at the admission.

“Well, I wanted to BE Luke Skywalker when I saw Star Wars. Come on! He’s so cool. I love Star Wars,” May replied, doing a mock lightsaber battle with the VHS.

“And you call me geeky little miss Jedi,” Phil said, blocking May’s arm as she sliced the VHS into his stomach.

“Who you are calling, little?” Melinda dropped the VHS tapes gently on the ground and got into a fighting pose.

Phil gulped, now he’d done it, “Uh, just kidding, don’t beat me up, please. I haven’t had much combat training yet.”

Melinda ignored him and swept his legs out in front of him, Phil landed with a dull thud on the ground.

“Owwwwwwww. Okay, May, I’ll never call you little again,” Phil felt extremely intimated by this strong and fierce woman standing above him with a smirk.

“Damn straight. Come on Coulson, let’s go get some food. You can show me around. And I want to know where the sparring room is. I always like to see whose the one to beat on campus,” Melinda gave Coulson a small punch in the arm as he got up.

“It’s not me, I stink at fighting,” Phil looked down in shame.

Melinda took a little pity on him, it was clear he was recruited for his brain, not his fighting skills. With time though, she knew that could change. He had a natural look of strength to him, and it would take just some training and determination. For some reason, she imagined him and her on the mats together training, and imagined what it would be like to feel his muscles. _I need to stop doing that. This guy is just a dork. Why am I imagining pressing close to him, even in a sparring match?_

May shook her head and headed out the door with Coulson. Though she had acted like it was going to be a cinch rooming with him, she also knew there was a potential of a distraction. It was clear they both found each other attractive, and the flirty banter might end up turning into more. Especially once she saw him in a more casual manner, like getting ready for bed or lounging on the couch with a movie. She tried not to imagine him in just boxers, but failed. She somehow knew he had Captain America boxers and kind of wanted to find out. She took a deep breath and put her focus face on. Phil couldn’t know how much she already liked him. At least, not yet.


	2. Lingering Looks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil Coulson and Melinda May are one week into being roommates and finally get the weekend to hang out after a busy week at the Academy.
> 
> When the two get ready in the bathroom at the same time, some funny moments occur, as well as the two checking each other out as subtly as possible.
> 
> [Writing this chapter was harder than I expected because I really wanted to make sure that the looks weren't objectifying each other, but rather naturally being attracted to each other both physically and mentally, hoping I showed that!]

It had been a busy week of combat training, classes, and navigating a different culture at the Communications Academy. The physical training was easy here, Melinda thought, but the amount of reading and studying they had to do was already beginning to exhaust her.

She’d barely seen Coulson in the first week they’d been roommates, other than the occasional hi at each other between classes or bedtime. But it was the first weekend and finally she had some time to just relax. Maybe she’d ask Phil to watch Princess Bride with her.

Because already May was having a hard time making friends. It seemed like her reputation of the “intimidating heartbreaker” had followed her to the Communications Academy. Coulson at least didn’t seem to be bothered by the reputation, at least not yet, but he had avoided calling her “little” again.

Looking at the time, Melinda decided she could freshen up before her last class. She rarely wore makeup, but it was always good to practice. She knew that being a spy meant you’d have to be good at many things, including the ability to apply makeup quickly for an undercover job.

As she approached the bathroom, she noticed soft singing through the door. Coulson must be showering. She jiggled the door, it was unlocked. Because they only had one bathroom, they kept the door unlocked so the other could use it if they needed. But that didn’t mean she wanted to barge in on Phil showering. “Hey, Coulson? Can I come in, just gotta freshen up a bit before class.” She opened the door slowly, trying hard to not look in the direction of the shower.

“Sure, May, it’s your bathroom too. Just ignore my singing…it’s how I relax after a long day.” Phil replied through the sound of the shower.

May got out her toiletries and tried quickly apply the makeup and comb her hair. For some reason, having Coulson in the shower behind her made her feel very aware of him, all of the sudden. That the only thing between her and his naked body was a thin shower curtain. _Seriously, why am I acting like lovesick teenager?_

May had dated a number of guys in high school and at the Academy, but had never had a serious relationship. The real reason she’d gotten the heartbreaker reputation was because every time one of the guys tried to sleep with her, she’d break up with him. She’d always had her boundaries clear, and didn’t want to sleep around. So when the guy tried to seduce her, pressure her into sleeping with him, she usually kicked his ass then broke up with him. Which meant she had the reputation of breaking men’s hearts and their asses.

Coulson would probably be shocked to hear that she’d never made love with anyone, but at the same time, she had a feeling that he’d never taken that step either. Of course, with the Operations intimacy class she’d have to take next year, that might have to change.

 _Maybe he’ll do the exchange program next year and join me in Operations and we’d take the class together._ May shook her head, trying to get the image of practicing flirting and being intimate with Phil out of her head.

Being deep in thought, she didn’t notice at first that Coulson was trying to get her attention, “May? Sorry to bother you, but I forgot my towel. Can you grab it for me? It’s in my room,” Phil was feeling quite awkward by the fact that May was this close to him as he was showering.

But she was being very respectful and she hadn’t even tried to sneak a peek. He felt slightly disappointed. He wanted May to notice him, despite having the reputation that she had. He had a feeling that the reputation wasn’t warranted.

“Oh sure, Coulson,” May went to his room to find it neat and clean. He had a few Captain America posters hung on the wall, as well as comics on his bed. He also had a record player and what looked like some SSR trinkets. Where he’d found those, she didn’t know, but she kind of liked how he was a bit vintage in the advent of cassette tapes and personal computers. She found his towel, amazingly not Captain America, but rather a soft and fluffy white towel. She sneaked a smell of it, and it smelled a bit like coffee and musk. While she typically hated coffee, she did not mind Phil’s scent.

Quickly walking back to the bathroom, she strolled in and handed Phil the towel, this time taking a look at his outline through the shower curtain. He was a curvy fellow, she was surprised, as it was usually hidden under his loose jeans. She realized that he must have played soccer or another similar sport growing up, because his legs and hips were definitely strong.

Melinda didn’t realize how long she was staring when Phil got her attention, “May? Do you have a question?”

Phil was most definitely aware of Melinda checking him out through the curtain and did not mind one bit. One week in and it was clear that they both found each other attractive. Damn this was gonna be hard.

“Did you play sports growing up? I was under the impression you were a band geek.” Melinda finally moved her brown eyes to gaze into his blue ones as he put the towel over his lower torso and stepped out of the shower.

“Yeah, played soccer and basketball. Almost played college soccer, actually, but an injury kept me from making the team. So I ended up studying history, and getting recruited by Nick Fury for SHIELD.”

Melinda could see his bare chest now, he was strong, just skinnier on top verses the bottom, which made sense, knowing now that he was a soccer player. She could see him easily gaining muscle from more combat training. Not that she needed him to gain muscle, but it wouldn’t hurt his looks either.

“I can see that, it looks like you have strong legs,” May said, hardly resisting now.

“Oh, I do, do I? Well, maybe if I did the Jiu-Jitsu class I could have more success, you use a lot of raw strength and leg grabs. My friend Garrett took it last year and he liked it,” Phil grabbed his deodorant and quickly put it on, then ran a comb through brown hair. “Ugh, getting thinner by the year.”

“It looks good, Coulson. Just keep it short,” May was very aware of Coulson in just a towel standing right next to her at the sink. She looked at them in the mirror. _Damn, we look good together._

He caught her eye and smiled, “Thanks.”

“Phil?”

“Yeah?” Phil realized it was the first time she’d called him Phil, instead of just Coulson. He guessed getting ready together in the bathroom was loosening some barriers.

“Wanna watch a movie tonight? I’ll bring some popcorn and candy in from the mess hall. Apparently they have a popcorn machine and candy for Friday nights. Just read it on the announcements,” Melinda started playing with her hair in nervousness. She really didn’t know anyone else at the academy yet and didn’t want to spend the evening alone. Besides, they could get to know each other better, now that the stress of the first week back at school was finished.

As Phil walked out of the bathroom, Melinda noticed his towel slightly dropping and caught a pretty nice view of his ass. “And Phil?”

“Yeah, Melinda?” Phil said, deciding to try out calling May by her first name.

She pointed to the towel, and Phil looked down to realize it had fallen halfway. Turning completely red, Phil pulled up the towel and scurried away quickly.

Melinda just chuckled, then realizing she was late for class, scurried off as well. She had to admit, she couldn’t wait to watch a movie with Phil. Maybe they’d even share the Captain America quilt. The weekend couldn’t come soon enough.


	3. As You Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil and Melinda watch Princess Bride together, and become more and more comfortable with each other as roommates and as friends.
> 
> The two admit to liking each other and wonder if they should stay roommates because of SHIELD policy.

Phil couldn’t believe it. In the span of a few minutes, May went from barely acknowledging Phil’s existence to checking out his ass in the bathroom and inviting him to watch movies with her.

Sure, it’d only been a week since they’d been roommates, but he had barely seen her the whole week. He tried to not think about it as her ignoring him and trying to spend the least amount of time in the bunk with him. And until their conversation in the bathroom, he thought that Melinda would just ignore him and they’d live their lives as awkward roommates who never spoke to each other.

But maybe it hadn’t been Melinda ignoring him, but just trying to adjust to a new school, new classes, and a heavy reading load. He imagined that Operations had much more physical training than Communications and less reading assignments.

He smiled at himself as he looked at his Captain America blanket on the couch. Tonight, he’d be watching movies with his very attractive and cool roommate, Melinda May. May had said she’d bring the popcorn and snacks, so he figured he’d bring the drinks. While alcohol wasn’t strictly forbidden on campus, it was highly discouraged. Both her and Phil were over 21 so it wouldn’t be a legality issue but more of a moral one. Well, he’d grab a variety of drinks, some alcoholic and some not. He didn’t even know if Melinda drank, so it was good not to presume.

As Phil went to the store to grab some rum and coke, he kept thinking about Melinda staring at him as he was in the shower. He was surprised at the gaze, despite really wanting her to notice him. On the outside, he didn’t look like the Operations cadets he’d seen sometimes on campus when they did missions. He wasn’t overly muscular, he had pale skin, and not exactly a thick head of hair.

But Melinda noticed him. Maybe he would look into that Jiu-Jitsu club after all. Maybe he’d get May to join him. He grabbed some Malibu rum and Coca-Cola, figuring they could have one or the other, or both.

After hitting up the store he decided to head to the mess hall for dinner. He noticed Melinda sitting by herself, and decided to grab a burger and sit down with her. All eyes in the mess hall gazed at him. It was clear that people were keeping their distance from May. That made him annoyed. Here was this smart and amazing woman that they could learn so much from. Sure, she was as intimidating as hell, but he could tell she felt lonely. He could relate. Besides Blake, he only hung out with John Garrett, who was an ass and a half on a good day.

“Hey Mel,” Phil said as he sat down with his dinner.

She gave him a look, “Mel?”

“Uh, I mean, May.” Phil broke eye contact.

“Mel is fine. I called you Phil earlier,” Melinda said, happy that Phil had sat to join her for a meal. It was the first time since coming to the Academy that someone joined her for dinner.

“That’s true, you did. So, I got us some drinks for tonight. I mean, a variety, I didn’t know if you drank so I got some coke and some rum and…” Phil started rambling nervously.

Melinda put her hand on his to stop him, “Thanks, Phil. I appreciate the thoughtfulness. Rum and coke sounds great. That will go well with the candy and popcorn. So, what do you want to watch?”

“Well, I haven’t seen Princess Bride yet, so maybe we’ll try that one first?” Phil asked hopefully, he knew it had romance, comedy, fighting, he just hadn’t gotten around to see it.

“YOU HAVEN’T SEEN PRINCESS BRIDE?” Melinda shouted a bit too loudly, causing the whole mess hall to stare at them.

Phil jumped back in his seat at the surprise in tone, “Uhhhhh, no?”

Melinda noticed everyone looking at them and sat back down, “Well, you’re love it.”

The two finished dinner and walked together out of the mess hall with a healthy helping of popcorn and candy. There was quite a bit of murmuring happening as they strolled out.

Melinda whispered to Phil as they reached the hallway, “So, I think everyone thinks we are together now.”

Phil laughed nervously, “Why, cause we walked out together with some snacks? Come on, ignore them and let’s start this movie before the popcorn gets cold.”

In fact, Phil very much at this moment wanted to be together with Melinda. They barely knew each other. But that didn’t stop Phil’s heart from beating out of his chest knowing he’d be spending the evening sharing a couch with his roommate.

The two made it to their bunk and Phil grabbed the rum and coke. “How strong should I make these? I admit I’ve never made my own drinks before.”

Melinda just grabbed the rum, “Let me pour them. We don’t want to start too strong.” Melinda had a feeling that Phil didn’t partake of alcohol all that often.

She poured a shot in each glass and filled it with coke, while Phil got out his Captain America quilt. They put Princess Bride in the VCR and let it roll.

Melinda noticed Phil sitting as far apart from her as humanly possible, “Phil, I don’t bite. Come on, if we are gonna share popcorn and snacks we have to sit closer together.”

She grabs him and forces him to sit closer to her, and puts the popcorn right on his lap. Phil was very aware of the fact that Melinda was reaching for the popcorn in the bowl very close to his crotch. He tried to focus on the movie.

After awhile, they finished the popcorn and Melinda poured more rum and coke, a bit stronger this time. Phil didn’t know if it was the alcohol, or the good movie, or just the comfort level, but as the movie progressed, him and Melinda sat closer and closer together, eventually sharing the blanket. Melinda had changed into a tank top and shorts midway through, and Phil had switched to his comfy basketball shorts and a soft t-shirt.

Phil looked over at Melinda, wanting so much to play with her hair, which was straight and dark, and had a beautiful sheen to it. He moved his arm along the couch and rested his arm just above her shoulders, barely touching her hair. She looked over and him and softly said, “Just put your arm around me, you dork.”

That gave Phil all the permission he needed, and he moved his hand down to her shoulder, feeling the strength in it. She settled in closer to him, now her back snuggled into his chest. Now he could smell her hair, and the scent was intoxicating. “Your hair smells good.”

May chuckled, “Thanks, Phil. You smell good too. I may have smelled your towel when I grabbed it.”

Phil laughed, a deep resonating sound that went through his whole chest, “I knew you were checking me out in the shower.”

Melinda turned red, a very rare time when she showed embarrassment, “I was curious. Plus, your towel did fall.”

“Heh, well, I may have done that on purpose.”

“Phillip Coulson!” May punched him in the arm, hard.

“I was interested in how you would react. Besides, you were the one you stared at my legs for a good minute while I was trying to towel off,” Phil joked around.

“Caught. Okay, so we’re roommates. We’re cuddling. What’s next?” Melinda replied as the movie finished with a kiss. Coulson licked his lips and looked at May.

She wanted to kiss him. Oh how she wanted to kiss him. But they were only a week in to knowing each other. But she liked him, a lot.

“Phil, is this alright?” Melinda whispered as she neared his face.

“As you wish.”

Melinda took that as a confirmation, and gave him a kiss. It was short and sweet. Phil went in for another kiss, but too aggressively and they bonked noses.

“Sorry, I’m still new at this,” Phil sighed.

“It’s okay, Phil. We don’t have to move fast,” Melinda answered, pulling back a bit.

Phil licked his lips again, very much wanting to kiss her with all his might and then some. But with the alcohol in both of them, he knew that they could go too far too quickly. “Yeah, good call. Mel. I want to kiss you. A lot. But you’re right, we shouldn’t move too fast.” He moved back away from her on the couch.

Melinda smiled, feeling better about Phil by the minute. Normally guys at this point would be all over her. But instead, Phil recognized that she was feeling a bit nervous about it all. And he felt nervous as well.

“Sorry if I was too forward, Phil. I really was enjoying cuddling with you,” Melinda admitted, using all her willpower not to just straddle him right then and there and go for it.

“Me too. I guess we are more than just roommates, huh?” Phil shrugged, getting off the couch and going to get some water from the bathroom.

“Yeah, roommates who are attracted to each other,” Melinda answered, letting herself cuddle more with Phil’s blanket.

“So what do we do? Request a room transfer? I’m not sure SHIELD wants its cadets bunking with people who might, you know,” Phil’s eyes drifted slightly to his bedroom.

May shook her head, “No, Phil. We stay roommates. Let things just happen, okay? Besides, I’ve read that manual. There’s nothing that says cadets can’t have sex with each other. Arguably not on campus, but… Besides, we’re a little far off from going to that point in our relationship.”

Phil gulped at the thought of May and him getting it on together. “Uh, yeah. Right. I mean, we just had our first kiss. So yeah. You know.”

“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” May yawned, the alcohol and busy week catching up to her. “I need to head to bed Phil. I was up at 5 am this morning doing my Tai Chi routine.”

“Hey, thanks for the movie, Mel. And the kiss,” Phil approached her and she opened her arms to wrap him in a hug. He melted to her touch.

“As you wish,” Melinda said into his chest. She released the hug and winked at him. “Night, Phil.”

“Night, Mel.” Phil stood there in the living room for a good minute just stunned. He’d kissed Melinda May. They admitted to liking each other, and she’d hinted that eventually she wanted to sleep with him.

Needless to say, Phil did not get much sleep last night, and he kept just thinking of Melinda and him on the couch, so comfortable together. As you wish, indeed.


	4. We could go a few rounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melinda and Phil on the sparring mats, nuff said.
> 
> You can see where this will go, the slow burn is turning into a fire. 
> 
> [Special guest by Nick Fury]

The next few weeks went by quickly, with Melinda and Phil growing more comfortable with each other by the day. While the two hadn’t shared another kiss yet or officially became a couple, they always stole glances to each other between classes and ate every meal together.

They’d been hugging and cuddling on the rare times they got time off together, and Phil loved playing with Melinda’s hair while she interlaced her hands in his. He also began to wake up early and watch Melinda’s Tai Chi routine and she began to teach him some basic forms.

Outside of their bunk, they tried hard to just act like friends, because they technically still were. They didn’t call each other boyfriend or girlfriend yet even inside their space together. Phil knew if they started to hold hands in the hallways, gossip would fire and the powers that be may make them change rooms.

Of course, because Mel and Phil ate meals together, the rumors were already flying off the shelves, but the teachers at the Academy didn’t seem to notice. They tended to ignore rumors and only acted on actual facts and evidence.

It was another weekend, and Phil was getting the courage to kiss Melinda again, or at the very least ask her out for real. He sauntered into the living space to see Melinda packing up her workout bag.

“Where you going today, Mel? I was thinking we could go on a nice walk around campus?” Phil looked disappointed, he wanted to spend the whole day with her and ask her out over drinks.

She looked up and noticed his gaze on her, “Going to the sparring room. Hope to see anyone that wants to go a few rounds. Want to join?”

“Go a few rounds? I don’t think it’d be much of a match,” Phil broke eye contact as he thought about May pinning him to the ground.

“Why don’t you show me some of the moves from Jiu-Jitsu club? Didn’t you join Garrett’s class?” Melinda very much wanted Phil to come spar with her. She’d been thinking about it ever since the first day they met.

“Yeah, been there a couple times now. Okay, you’ve sold me. Promise we can go grab lunch after?” Phil had such an earnest look to him.

“Sure, we can do that,” Melinda picked up her bag and the two headed for the sparring room.

They were surprised to see it empty, but then again, it was a Saturday morning.

“Guess we are the only ones here,” Phil gulped a bit, feeling nervous. Though truth be told, at least there wouldn’t be anyone around to see May kick his ass.

“Come on, Phil, let’s go through some of the basics,” Melinda tried to put him at ease. She knew her fighting ability was superior to his, and didn’t want it to be a whomping fest.

Melinda went through some basic warm-ups with Phil, impressed on how quickly he was picking up on the stances. They went through a basic routine of kicks and blocks and punches, making sure not to go full blown, especially because they weren’t wearing pads.

“Good, Phil. You’re not such a bad fighter. You just don’t have confidence. And tend to favor your right,” Melinda gave constructive criticism, a bit unsure of how he’d react.

“Yeah, that’s what my combat instructor told me. Okay, I’ll keep that all in mind. Confidence. Phil, you got this,” Phil said to himself, then nodded to May to start another routine.

After several minutes, the two were sweating and warm. “Okay, let’s do a real sparring round,” May said feeling ready to fight.

“Okay, okay, I’ve got this.” Phil got in ready position right as May punched him right in the gut.

“Well, block me, why don’t you?” May taunted him moving around as quick as a cat.

“Hey, you’re fast,” Phil complained but then side stepped as May rushed him.

“Good job, now keep going,” Melinda encouraged him as he went in for a punch.

This time, May grabbed his arm and flipped him over on the mats. Thinking she had him, she approached and then landed on her back as he swept her legs out in front of her. “How’s a taste of your own medicine for ya Mel?” Phil went to go pin her down on the mat and then she grabbed his torso with her legs and flipped him onto on his back.

She put a knee on his chest and hand on his shoulder, whispering, “Checkmate.”

The two were out of breath and staring at each other, the sexual tension in the room thickening to biblical proportions. Melinda took off her knee from his chest and straddled his hips. “Do you yield?”

Phil was very aware of her legs on him, their sweat intermingling. “I yield.” Phil said as Mel’s face got nearer and nearer to him.

Phil closed the gap between them, using a free hand to grab her head to bring it to his lips. He kissed her, hungrily, as if he had been starved. She smiled through his kisses, wondering when he’d finally make another move.

As they kissed, he used the opportunity to flip her over and then straddled her as the two deepened their kiss. “Gotcha,” Phil chuckled as he held her down.

Melinda gave a mischievous smirk, wrapping her legs around him again and flipping them over once again, “I got you, babe,” she said as she slid her tongue in his mouth.

Phil melted and relented, letting her tongue him. He began to put his hand under her tank top, completely forgetting they were in a public sparring room.

“Mmm, your hands are so soft, Phil. Mmm,” Melinda said through his caressing. Melinda began to put her hands underneath his shirt, moving down toward his shorts.

Before Melinda could reach his shorts, they heard a “ahem” and looked up. Phil’s superior officer and mentor, Nick Fury, was standing above them as they got it on.

The two broke apart faster than a hoverboard from Back to the Future. Nick stood there, arms folded. “Cadets Coulson and May, do I need to remind you of the basic rules of the sparring room? In particular, rule 13 that says the room shall not be used for any mating purposes.”

Melinda gave him an odd look at she remembered, “There’s no rule that says—“

Phil shook his head at her to get her to stop talking.

Fury just sighed, “There’s no rule, Cadet May. Just common sense. Besides, don’t you two share a bunk? At least have the decency to get it on in private.”

Phil adjusted his pants and shirt, which had gotten disheveled when Melinda had started to undress him before Fury came in. “Sorry, Agent Fury. Um. Things just got carried away. May was showing me some moves and—“

“If I had a nickel for every time cadets starting making out on the sparring mats, I’d be a rich man. At the very least I could buy a new cassette tape,” Fury grabbed Phil by the end and lifted him up.

“Uh. Right. So we won’t do it again, right May?” Phil stuttered out, wondering what sort of punishment Fury was about to dole out.

“Oh, I’m sure you two will _do it_ again. But just please don’t do it on my mats, please. It’s gross enough cleaning up the sweat. I really don’t want to have to clean other…fluids,” Fury said nonchalantly.

May’s eyes went wide at Fury’s comment, “Sorry, sir. No, we wouldn’t have gone that far. To warrant, fluids, sir. Um. So we’ll just clean up here and head out.”

As the two cadets started to walk past Fury, he motioned for them to stop, “Look. I know you two like each other. I’ve been watching from afar and wondering when this sort of thing was about to happen. You can stay roommates, for now. What you two do in your bunk, on _off_ hours is none of my business. But if it causes a problem with your studies, or on future missions, I’ll have to separate you, understood?”

“Yes sir,” both Melinda and Phil said, looking down and feeling quite embarrassed.

“Now, get out of here so people can train,” Fury pointed them to the hallway, but gave him both a wink.

Melinda and Phil made it back to their bunk and both gave sighs of relief, “I thought he was gonna kill us!” Phil shouted as he processed the fact that he and Melinda had seriously made out and some and got caught by his mentor.

“Yeah, I figured we’d at the very least have to clean bathrooms for a week or something,” May said, knowing that if it had happened at Operations, it would be extra physical training or doing some humiliating task.

“Me too. Heh. It was pretty fun until he came in,” Phil gave a small grin to Melinda.

She gave a smirk in return, “Yeah, I’d been waiting for weeks for you to kiss me again.”

“Really? I thought you wanted to go slow.”

“Not that slow, you potato.” Melinda threw a pillow at him.

Phil blushed, “Hey, you’re my first girlfriend, so, I’m new at this.”

“Your first girlfriend? Phil, you haven’t even properly asked me out yet,” Melinda put her hands on her hips.

“Pretty sure us tonguing each other is confirmation that we are together,” Phil licked his lips at the thought.

“Nope. Doesn’t count. I’ve kissed guys I haven’t dated. Granted, that’s all I did with them,” Melinda didn’t want Phil to think her reputation was real, where she slept around with guys. Because it definitely wasn’t the truth.

“Are you saying that you haven’t been with a guy before?” Phil replied, realizing that they might be each other’s firsts, if they do go in that direction. Based off how things were happening on the mats, he guessed it wouldn’t be long before they were in the sheets together.

“Not all the way. It’s why I have the heartbreaker rep. Guys wanted to go that far, and I wasn’t ready yet. They kept insisting, so I broke their hearts and sometimes a few fingers,” Melinda drank some water as she tried to keep it casual.

“I’m sorry, May. I didn’t mean to pry. You’re brave, you know. Bravest person I know. Uh, I haven’t done it either with anyone. Just, never felt right. Also doesn’t help I’ve never had a girlfriend.”

Melinda put her eyes on Phil, “How about I be your girlfriend? Maybe, we can, you know, experience it together. That is, when we’re both ready. If we get there.”

Phil perked up at the admission, “Really? Yeah! I’ll be your boyfriend! And of course, we can make that decision when it comes. Right now, I’m just happy we are taking this first step.”

Mel walked into his arms, and snuggled into his chest, despite it being sweaty. “To the first of many steps.”

He looked down and kissed her nose, “To the first of many.”


	5. Surprise Birthday Weekend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay it's official, I can't write slow burn
> 
> Philinda slow burn to raging fire because I can't ever imagine them taking things all that slow once they were fully in a relationship.
> 
> Phil and Melinda go away for the weekend to celebrate her birthday with the intention to take the next step in their relationship.
> 
> [This is edging toward mature, so forewarned this chapter does have sexual content]

Phil walked into the bathroom to see Melinda throwing on a shirt. He smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the neck. “Happy Birthday, love,”

The couple hadn’t made love yet, despite being together for three months now. That make out session in the sparring room had sobered them up a bit, especially as studies got harder and they began to do mock missions together.

The last thing they wanted was for Fury to separate them, and they hadn’t felt comfortable becoming intimate in their own school bunk, at least, for the first time doing it.

So Phil had planned a birthday getaway weekend with Melinda. He got a hotel room with two beds, just in case, he didn’t want to presume with her. If things happened while they celebrated her birthday, well, they could share a bed, otherwise, there would be a separate one for her.

“Thanks, babe. Hey, are you gonna tell me where we are going this weekend?” Melinda was excited to go on her first vacation with Phil. The thought of them sharing a hotel room together was exciting, despite them sharing a living space and bathroom on campus. For some reason, it felt different. In their dorm, they had separate sleeping areas, and that boundary so far hadn’t been crossed. But there were some nights where it took all of May’s willpower not to go slip into bed with Phil.

“Nope, it’s a surprise. Bring a swimsuit if you have one. And a nice outfit,” Phil grinned at Melinda. They’d fallen deeply in love over the course of the last few months, sharing kisses, cuddles, meals, even a toothbrush once or twice on a mock overnight mission.

The two became so comfortable with each other so quickly. Melinda’s confidence rubbed off on Phil, and Phil’s kindness rubbed off on Melinda. They were quite the pair, and were often put as partners for class projects and training sessions.

In fact, they were together almost always now, to the point where their friends just called them “Philinda.” Phil had laughed at the couple name, but it filled him with happiness. Phil and Melinda were acing every class, beating every other team in sparring and training, and were known as SHIELD’s Power Couple.

“Fine, I don’t like surprises, Phil. But I do it because you’re a cute potato and I can tell you put a lot of thought into this,” Mel finished getting ready and grabbed her bag to start putting clothes in it. Phil followed her into her bedroom, licking his lips as he looked toward her bed. His body felt so ready. He wanted to just slip his hands under her shirt right then and there, feel her bare skin on his. He felt his face red just thinking of it. It didn’t help matters that Melinda pulled out a piece of red lingerie and packed it in her bag, smirking at Phil.

“So, is this birthday celebration gonna be for me or for you?” Phil asked, knowing that him and May had the same idea. It was time. Tonight would be the night.

Melinda turned around and put her hands on Phil’s hips, pressed her hips against his and licked her tongue on his lips. “Both.”

Melinda could feel Phil through his pants, and let go before he got more excited, “Ah, we can’t ruin it by doing it now, Phil. That’s just a little tease and taste for later.”

Phil took a deep breath, willing himself to stay calm, “Okay okay, hurry up then and pack. I want to get to our hotel.”

“Come on, Phil. Let’s not rush things. Besides, we have that dinner to go to first that you planned. That’s why I have to bring the nice outfit, right?” Melinda replied, giving another spicy look at Phil to tease him.

Phil felt like his pants were gonna burst, “I mean, we can always postpone the dinner.”

“Nah, this way we can get some good cocktails. I’m getting sick of the rum and coke we have every weekend,” Melinda said, staring down at Phil’s pants in amusement.

“Okay, okay. I’m gonna go take a shower while you finish packing,” Phil said, thinking a very cold shower. He couldn’t be this turned on while trying to drive to the hotel and check-in.

The drive felt impossibly long, even though the hotel was only about a half hour away from campus. He had splurged for a room with a view, overlooking the ocean. Melinda had mentioned a couple times how she liked the beach, and they hadn’t made it out yet. School had been busy.

“Phil, stop fidgeting, keep your hands on the wheel,” Melinda said, feeling Phil’s anxiousness and it projected on herself. Truth be told, she was nervous to have sex with him. She knew he would be amazing, they were both new at it, so it would just be exploring and taking it slow. But it was also such a hyped up thing. In the mess hall, people would talk about their weekend exploits, sometimes going into more detail than Phil and Melinda ever wanted to know.

The couple went to dinner first, instead of going straight to the hotel room, because both knew that once they were in the room, they wouldn’t be leaving. Melinda wore a silver dress, with a high slit at the knee.

“I really like that dress,” Phil said for the tenth time as they entered the fancy restaurant.

Melinda and Phil both ordered two cocktails each, as the restaurant was in the hotel. The alcohol made them both feel a little less nervous, about things. They knew it would change their lives forever. Change their relationship forever, by taking this step.

“Thanks, Phil. I got it just for you. I put it on, and imagined your face, the reaction I got was priceless,” Melinda smirked at her boyfriend, whose jaw had dropped when she’d come out of the bathroom with it on. She was stunning. Absolutely stunning. Phil started fidgeting. “What’s wrong, Phil?”

“Sorry. Just excited and nervous. I mean, this will be our first time. With anyone. You’re ready, right? I don’t want to jump in if it’s not the right time.” Phil met her eyes with seriousness.

“I’m ready, Phil. More than ever, I am. We practically act married anyways. We even had a couple name, Philinda.” May shook her head at that. She never understood the whole couple name idea.

“Okay, yeah, me too. Melinda, you mean everything to me. I hope you know that. Your fierceness, your fearlessness, your beauty, your intelligence. All these things make you into the woman that I love, Melinda. I love you”

It was the first time Phil said, “I love you.” Melinda knew he did, but hearing it out of his own mouth filled her heart with joy. “I love you too, Phillip.” She drew him in for a kiss, slow, soft and supple.

As they released the kiss, they noticed a few eyes on them at the restaurant. Phil reached into his pocket. He had called the restaurant ahead of time, for this very reason.

Phil got on one knee as Melinda’s eyes grew wide. “Melinda, I know we’ve only known each other for a few months. But these months have been the most amazing in my life. You’ve made me a better person, a better cadet, a better boyfriend. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Whether it’s watching movies on the couch, or dodging bullets on a mission, what I want, is you. Will you marry me, Melinda May?”

At first Melinda was stunned. It had been barely been three months! She’d never subscribed to the soulmate idea, until now. Here was this man, who had been so thoughtful, tasteful, who had put her first every time, who had never even tried to sneak into her bed, never presumed anything, unless she gave the right away. She knew she’d never find another man like him, if she went to another universe, even. She couldn’t pass this up.

She began to tear up. “Yes. Phillip J. Coulson, I will marry you. You’ve shown me a man who has integrity, kindness, determination, and a quiet strength. I didn’t know someone like you could exist until you came into my life that first day at the Academy. I love you.”

The restaurant erupted in cheers, and Phil wrapped up Mel in a hug and gave her a flurry of kisses. Phil motioned for the waiter and said, “Just put it on our hotel tab, room 616.” Phil and Mel ran hand in hand for their hotel room. Their bags had already been sent up, and Phil had asked for a bottle of champagne, roses, and chocolate to be in the room to prep for the night.

As they entered the hotel room, there were balloons everywhere, roses, and a big “Happy Birthday and Happy Engagement” sign. Phil may have tipped the hotel bellhop a few hundred dollars to go decorate the room during dinner.

“What if I had said no?” Melinda said as she noticed a cake with a ring on it.

“Then this would have been one awkward date,” Phil replied, moving his hand down her dress.

She responded by moving her hips along with his, then turned around and began undoing his pants. “You’ve been wanting my hands down here for awhile, haven’t you?” Melinda reached a hand down as Phil gave a giggle of pleasure.

“Yes. Ever since that sparring mat make out session. If Fury had caught us then…” Phil chuckled at the thought of Fury catching them with Mel’s hands in his pants. That would have been even more awkward to explain.

But now, they were engaged, away from campus, with no one at the Academy to interrupt them.

“Is this okay, Phil?” Melinda asked as she lightly grabbed him. “Wow, it’s warming up.”

“Yeah, that’s what it does. Don’t be surprised when you see it, okay? I don’t know if you’ve seen…” Phil also didn’t want to presume what Melinda had seen before despite not sleeping with anyone before.

“Phil, we had sex ed class in high school, I know what it looks”— She had taken off his pants during this time and then, “okay I see what you mean that’s different in person.”

“Melinda, is this still okay? We don’t have to because it’s your birthday and our engagement.” Phil wanted her to keep touching him but would also back off if needed.

“It’s okay, Phil. I want to do this with you. I’m ready,” Melinda confirmed her readiness by grabbing him and throwing him on the bed in a combat move.

“Ohhhhhh, now this is a sparring match I don’t mind losing,” Phil responded, letting Melinda climb on top of him and her hands pressing against his chest as she made her moves.

Phil couldn’t talk after that. He was amazed at how confident, Melinda was. As in everything she did, she learned quickly. It was also so natural, especially with Phil. He let her do all the leading, and just like in missions, they kept eye contact, giving each other knowing glances and encouragements and pleasure noises.

It didn’t take long before Phil’s eyes were in the back of his head and he could barely take a breath. Melinda just smiled at him. “Someone needs to work on their cardio.” She replied as they released each other.

“Hey now, you were the one going full thrust on me! It was our first time, I thought we’d take it slow,” Phil said in mock annoyance.

“Phil, do I ever do things slow?” Mel replied as she rested her head on his bare chest as his breathing calmed and slowed.

“Well, no. You were quite the tigress. Wow. I shouldn’t be surprised, but wow. I’d heard first times can be not as good but this is better than I could have ever imagined.” Phil couldn’t believe it. He was engaged and had become intimate with Melinda all in the matter of months knowing her. It was as if they were meant to be together, as soon as they met.

“I’ve heard the same. I guess because I treated it like another training session. Stay calm, take breaths, move in rhythm and sequence. We are a team, Phil. And that’s what marriage is. That’s what sex is. Is us working together, as a team, to give each other our best,” Melinda said, explaining how she stayed so calm even when things were a little tight at first.

“That’s beautiful, Mel. And so are you. Of course you would become proficient in sex the first time you did it. You’re amazing. I can’t wait to get proficient with you,” Phil stared at her back as she settled into him. She was even more beautiful than he could have imagined. Sure, he’d caught some glimpses when she was changing or showering, but to see her in full, was something his heart and mind wasn’t prepared for.

“Phil, let’s break open the champagne. Toast to our first of many, and to toast our engagement.”

Melinda and Phil finished the whole bottle, they’d had another round later in the night, and spooned together all night along, waking up every so often to give the other a kiss or pull them closer to the other.

They were engaged, they were going to get married. Phil knew Fury would either be furious or ecstatic. SHIELD Agents tended to avoid getting married, especially to other Agents, and they had a whole course dedicated on relationships inside and outside the agency. Clearly, Phil and Melinda hadn’t taken that course yet.

Well, if Fury wanted to kick them out of the Agency, fine. But he suspected that Fury would be secretly happy. His two best agents were together in both heart and mind.

As they woke up, Melinda received a call from her dad, “Oh hi dad, what? You and mom are in town? To surprise me for my birthday? Oh. Yeah I’m not at the Academy at the moment. I’m with a…friend. Yeah, just give me an hour okay, and then we’ll meet at the bakery.”

Melinda looked at Phil with a guilty look, “So…I haven’t told them about you yet.”

Phil gave her a surprised look, “What?”

“So, I guess we’ll be announcing our engagement to them at the bakery, and let them know we have another night set at the hotel. Sorry, Phil. I meant to tell them after this weekend. I didn’t think they’d visit.” Melinda felt bad, she didn’t share about her relationships with her parents, because so many had gone bad so quickly.

“That’s fine, it’s fine. I’m excited to meet your parents,” Phil had told his mom about Melinda, almost every chance he got. She was the one who encouraged him to propose to her on her birthday.

“Yeah, and my mom is a CIA Agent. So she’ll put you through her standard boyfriend interrogation questions. And my dad will ask you point blank if we’re having sex, so be prepared for that.” Melinda said nonchalantly as they got dressed.

Phil gulped. Time to meet the future in-laws.


End file.
